Tom Thibodeau is known for playing his team too much, and itโs causing problems.
Player Injuries and Criticism
Last year, the Knicks faced serious injuries during the playoffs. OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson got hurt, while Jalen Brunson ended up with a broken hand (source). After their playoff exit, Paul Pierce criticized Thibodeau for overworking his players (source). This season seems no different as Knicks players are again logging heavy minutes. Mikal Bridges tops the list with 38.2 minutes per game, followed by Josh Hart and Anunoby. Even though Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns play slightly less, their minutes have increased recently.
Exhaustion Takes Its Toll
In a recent back-to-back matchup against the Mavericks, Brunson played 36 minutes after a previous 38-minute game. Towns also clocked in 70 minutes over two games. The Knicks lost to Dallas 129-114 after playing in Denver’s high altitude just the day before. Despite being visibly tired and trailing at halftime, Thibodeau kept his starters on the court longer than necessary.
Sometimes we wonder if coaches ever really learn from past mistakes.
The Need for a Stronger Bench
The Knicks’ bench is almost nonexistent; only Miles McBride and Cameron Payne average more than 15 minutes per game. In contrast, teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Bucks have multiple bench players contributing significant time on the court. The Celtics boast four such players: Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, and Luke Kornet. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers enjoy depth with Caris LeVert among others contributing valuable minutes off the bench. Even Milwaukee has Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green among others helping out their starters.
If New York doesnโt strengthen its bench soon enough they might face another disappointing postseason like in 2024!
